Tea growers protest HP Govt’s
decisionPalampur, February 20
The Kangra valley Tea Growers Association has strongly opposed the recent decision of the Himachal Pradesh Government to hand over 1000 acres of land to the tea growers of North East for developing new plantations in Kangra, Mandi and Chamba districts of the state.

BJP president’s action draws
flakShimla, February 20
Doubts are being raised on the constitutional validity of the action taken by Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, Himachal state BJP president, against certain district party leaders, which raised a storm of protest from the rank and file.

Kangra may see
realignmentsDharamsala, February 20
The latest outburst by the Revenue Minister, Dr Rajan Sushant, against the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar
Dhumal, could lead to political realignments in the highly volatile district of Kangra, already witnessing a lot of upheaval.

Project to save traditional
herbsPALAMPUR: The drugs used in modern medical science have been changing rapidly while the basic nature of the human body has remained unchanged. Contrary to this, Ayurvedic therapy has remained the same since its inception.

J&K plan on Pandits
decriedKangra, February 20
The Himachal Pradesh unit of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha yesterday took strong exception of the statement of the Revenue Minister, of Jammu and Kashmir Mr Abdul Qayoom for planning to push 2,212 Kashmiri Pandit migrant families to the Kashmir valley.

Cases against land
sharksNahan, February 20
District Administration, Sirmour, has started dealing with big sharks who were managing benami transfer of land with an iron hand.

HP doctors threaten
stirKangra, February 20
The Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association yesterday threatened to resort to a strike from next month in protest against the non-implementation of the decisions taken by the government on December 15, 2000, at a meeting with doctors regarding their long-pending
demands.

Palampur, February 20
The Kangra valley Tea Growers Association has strongly opposed the recent decision of the Himachal Pradesh Government to hand over 1000 acres of land to the tea growers of North East for developing new plantations in Kangra, Mandi and Chamba districts of the state. Talking to mediapersons here on Sunday, Mr Rajinder Singh Thakur, a leading tea planter and member of the association, said before taking this decision the government should have discussed this issue with tea growers of the state who had been producing quality tea in the state. He said this decision of the state government was against the interest of state and government should reconsider this matter afresh. He said no outsiders should be allowed to grow tea in Kangra valley. He said this announcement of the state government was politically motivated and would benefit selected parties. If this decision of the government was implemented there could be law and order problems here like Assam where the outsiders had
monopoly in tea cultivation, he added.

Mr Thakur said there was no necessity to call tea growers from outside and hand over them most valuable lands of the state. He said instead of inviting outsiders for cultivation in the state, the government should encourage unemployed youths through small cooperative societies for tea cultivation or discuss the issue with the Tea Growers Association. He said once the government lands were handed over to outsiders, it would be very difficult to get these lands back from these parties.

A number of organisations have also opposed this decision of the state government. The Tea Plantation Workers Association in a press statement said instead of inviting outsiders for cultivation in the state, the government should hand over vacant lands to Tea Plantation Workers Association who could easily develop new tea plantations in the state.

Shimla, February 20
Doubts are being raised on the constitutional validity of the action taken by Mr Jaikrishan Sharma, Himachal state BJP president, against certain district party leaders, which raised a storm of protest from the rank and file.

The general impression among the partymen is that the party chief has acted in haste and, without taking other leaders into confidence. Senior party leaders point out that under the constitution president could only suspend erring leaders and they could not be removed from office without following the due procedure like issuing a show-cause notice and conducting an inquiry into charges against them.

However, in the instant case, Mr Sharma straightaway removed Mr Dinesh Sein, the Kulu district BJP president, Mr Kamal Padha, general secretary of the Kangra district unit of the party and Mr Chaman Thakur, president of the Bilaspur district Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, which was grossly unconstitutional. Besides issuing show-cause notice, inquiry has to be instituted against the erring leader and after receiving reply or the inquiry report the president could either take whatever action he deemed fit or refer the matter to the disciplinary committee. It is hardly surprising that the action is being viewed with suspicion.

By acting in such a hasty and unconstitutional manner, Mr Sharma has not only betrayed political immaturity but also created serious problems for himself and the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, who is already struggling hard to maintain balance between warring factions.

The sharp reaction of the partymen has put the party leadership on the defensive. While in Bilaspur district there was a spate of resignations, in Kulu a complete bandh was observed on the call given by the district unit to protest against the action. It was for the first time that party issue was virtually taken to the people.

In the sensitive Kangra district where the organisation is dominated by Shanta loyalists, the partymen exercised restraint and did not create any awkward situation which could cause embarrassment to Mr Dhumal during the winter move.

The action against Mr Kamal Padha, has created one more irritant between Mr Dhumal and the dissidents who are already unhappy over the failure of the party to implement the agreement arrived in December to resolve the crisis.

The party leadership had not included any names in the state executive to restore factional balance and no effective step had been taken to check unwarranted interference in their constituencies, a dissident leader observed.

In fact, all limits were surpassed during the recent panchayat polls when the rival faction joined hands with the Congress to stall their candidates from capturing key posts. Such happenings were not conducive to unity and smooth functioning of the government, he added.

Meanwhile, there are reports that dissidents may put renewed pressure on the leadership for the implementation of the agreement in toto and this could bring things to a flashpoint again.

Dharamsala, February 20
The latest outburst by the Revenue Minister, Dr Rajan Sushant, against the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, could lead to political realignments in the highly volatile district of Kangra, already witnessing a lot of upheaval.

Though the aggressive stance adopted by Dr Sushant is not being viewed as a direct attack on Mr Dhumal, at the same time, objections being raised by a minister on certain decisions of his own government, is a clear indication that resentment is brewing.

Once considered to be a member of the Dhumal camp, Dr Sushant has been drifting away from the Chief Minister over the past few months. With Shanta loyalists clearly dominating in Kangra, the distancing of the Revenue Minister from the Chief Minister could prove to be politically damaging for Mr Dhumal. It is reliably learnt that Dr Sushant, who had revolted against Mr Shanta Kumar, has got feelers from the Union Minister’s camp to join them.

On the other hand, those belonging to the Dhumal camp term the outburst by Dr Sushant as a “pressure tactic” to get elevated to Cabinet rank from a state minister. They point out that Dr Sushant has been dissatisfied with a state minister berth right from day one.

Dr Sushant, when contacted in his constituency of Jwali, claimed that his fight was not the least for a Cabinet berth, but for the rights of the common man. “It is my constituents, who are my strength, and if they are the ones who are being denied justice, then there is no use of my being in power,” he stated.

Refuting allegations that he was ambitious and was vying for a Cabinet berth, Dr Sushant asked how he could remain quiet when not even a single Himachali was being given job in the Shah Nehar project. “I had suggested that half of the work should be given to a private party and the rest to a government agency, as this would ensure speedy work and employment to Himachalis,” he claimed.

He further said that the request of the farmers that the ban of export of khair be lifted, had also not been accepted. He said a large number of people were affected by this as a tree worth Rs 1400 was being bought by the traders for merely Rs 500. “As if this loss was not enough for the farmers, the government imposed 30 per cent taxes, making the plight of the people miserable,” he said.

Dr Sushant said that the giving of Khudro Drakhtan Malkiyat rights to the people was also proving to be useless as they were now receiving notices from the Forest Department, prohibiting cutting of trees. He said that all these issues had led to a lot of resentment amongst the public.

Interestingly, the MLA from Ganggath, Mr Des Raj, has been maintaining close ties with Dr Sushant. Mr Des Raj is a known Shanta loyalist, but is reportedly perturbed with some ministers from the dissident camp for trying to be in the good books of the Chief Minister. The denial of jobs to Himachalis in the Shah Nehar project, directly affects the people of Ganggath, represented by Mr Des Raj. As such, both Dr Sushant and Mr Des Raj have taken up the common cause of their people. Meanwhile, Dr Sushant has been extensively touring his constituency.

PALAMPUR: The drugs used in modern medical science have been changing rapidly while the basic nature of the human body has remained unchanged. Contrary to this, Ayurvedic therapy has remained the same since its inception. With changing trends from allopathy to ayurveda, medical plants are receiving added importance these days primarily due to side-effects of alkaloids of plant origin.

The scientists, working at the Jachh Regional Research Station of Dr YS Parmar University for Horticulture and Forestry, have taken up a special project to save traditional herbs used in ayurveda. Over the past 25 years it has been observed that the medicinal wealth of the state is dwindling day by day due to over-exploitation and non-availability of commercially important medicinal plants like “harar” (terminalia chebula). Moreover, the naturally existing plant material has been found to be inferior quality. Scientists have realised that there is need to direct research efforts towards improvement and standardisation of cultural practices for plants which are on the verge of extinction. The cultivation of these plants would lead to easy availability of ayurvedic drugs at a low cost.

The scientists in the first phase of its programme have started their studies on harar, which is a moderate to large deciduous tree with a rounded crown with stretched branches and a short trunk. The tree is found in the whole Himalayan tract ascending from 1500 metres elevation and in deciduous forests of peninsular India.

Dr Sanjiv Thakur, who is working on this project, says that in Himachal Pradesh, the species is confined to sub-tropical zone (400-900 metres above the sea level) particularly in Kangra, Bilaspur and Sirmour districts. A few species of harar are also grown in Hamirpur district. Such trees are mainly found naturally in forests and grasslands. In certain areas, farmers have also planted harar. The fruit of this plant is harvested by farmers from November till March or sold to traders, who send it to Amritsar and New Delhi. The scientists have observed a wide variation among fruits from different areas with respect to shape, size and weight.

Dr Thakur says the fruit has been used in the Indian system of medicine since immemorial. Physicians of ancient India used it in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, heart burn, flatulence, dyspepsia and liver and spleen disorders. It contains an astringent substance, chebulinic acid, besides tannic acid, gallic acid, resin and some purgative principles of the nature of anthraquinone. It is one of the main constituents of “Trifla” which is known panacea for stomach disorders. The fruits are also extensively used for tanning.

The scientists working the Regional Research Station are worried over the plant’s poor seed germination. They say its regeneration is almost negligible and biotic interference results in depletion of valuable wealth at an alarming rate. Moreover, the existing good quality trees are over 10 years old, resulting in a decline in production.

To meet this challenge, the scientists have developed three new strains as advocated by farmers, traders and as per valuation by experts. These are JH-1, JH-2 and JH-3 identified with three areas of the state.

To step up plantation, the scientists have been making earnest efforts. All is set to start commercial exploitation of this plant in the state. To boost its plantation a budwood bank of seven strains has already been established at the research farm in Jachh (Nurpur). The budded plants of these strains have been planted in fields at different locations and further tests are going on.

The YS Parmar University has also set up a demonstration orchard of promising strains. The technique developed for vegetative propagation establishment of budwood bank of superior strains will help in mass multiplication of quality plants which will boost harar cultivation in the state, leading to more jobs and revenue generation.

Kangra, February 20
The Himachal Pradesh unit of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha yesterday took strong exception of the statement of the Revenue Minister, of Jammu and Kashmir Mr Abdul Qayoom for planning to push 2,212 Kashmiri Pandit migrant families to the Kashmir valley and described it an anti-Hindu act to victimise these families
there.

Mr Nalinder Gautam, state president of the Hindu Mahasabha, in a statement here yesterday, said the Jammu and Kashmiri government had sent an action plan for rehabilitation of Kashmir migrants in the valley to the Central government for consideration of the plan envisaged at an expenditure of Rs 2583 crore.

Mr Gautam stressed that the Government of India should not accept the plan which would not only put the nation to a financial loss but would also expose these migrant Kashmiri Pandit families to an extreme
risk.

He demanded revocation of the one-sided ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir as it was an advantage for the Pakistan-sponsored foreign mercenaries who were killing innocent Indians in the valley.

Nahan, February 20
District Administration,
Sirmour, has started dealing with big sharks who were managing benami transfer of land with an iron hand.

Most of the cases recently registered under Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reform Act, 1972, are against industrialists involved in the mining business which is a flourishing business at present in the district.

The mining lobby has its roots in the political circles of Himachal Pradesh. In the past officials who tried to bring these offenders to book were for one reason or the other compelled not to proceed against the influential mining lobby.

According to reliable sources, it is for the first time that 14 cases of violation of Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reform Act, 1972, have been put up in the court of the District Magistrate and the legal process started. It is learnt that these influential industrialists have used their influence to put pressure on the district administration regarding these cases but they did not succeed in their pressure tactics. Now these offenders are making a hue and cry in political circles and trying to woo their political masters to favour them in this matter.

According to official sources, at present 31 cases of violation of the HP Tenancy Act, 1972, were under trial in the court of the District Magistrate out of which more than 60 per cent cases were from the mining belt, Sataun and Paonta valley. The factories against which cases were registered recently were installed 10 to 15 years back and were mainly producing grit, power and other products out of limestone at
Sataun.

According to the revenue records the land occupied by these factories is in the name of its local owners but by way of power of attorney and other agreements the possession of the land was transferred to the factory owners which was a violation of the Act as per the sources.

It is also learnt that some other important personalities and industrialists were in the net of the authorities. Matters related to them were being thoroughly investigated, sources added.

Within the past two years more than 50 cases of violation of Section 118 of the HP Tenancy Act were registered. Most of the cases in other parts of the district were of those buyers who were non-agriculturists and purchased freehold plots and industrial units from the HP Financial Corporation in open auction.

The General Manager, District Industries
Centre, Nahan, had intimated the district administration regarding most of these purchases, report said these properties were being held by non-agriculturist owners without seeking the necessary permission from the HP Government as per the provisions of the Act.

According to sources, many such buyers were politically sound and influential persons who even after nine years of purchase of property did not bother to seek necessary permission from the government.

Kangra, February 20
The Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association yesterday threatened to resort to a strike from next month in protest against the non-implementation of the decisions taken by the government on December 15, 2000, at a meeting with doctors regarding their long-pending
demands.

Dr Susheel Sharma, spokesman of the medical officers association, disclosed this while addressing a press conference here
yesterday Dr Sharma said the government had accepted on December 15, 2000, that their demand of removal of the anomalies in the newly released time scale cases, waiving the condition of ACR and fixation of pay scales by the secretary in order to minimise the problems they were facing in the
state.

Dr Sharma said the government accepted time scale for the doctors after the completion of their four, nine and 14 years of service besides advance increment in lieu of postgraduate
qualification.

Dr Sharma said the government agreed to provide three years’ study leave to the doctors. Besides, medical officers can use taxi for court attendance. He said the government had also agreed to pay salary to interns, house surgeons and postgraduate students at the IGMC, Shimla.